Bumpless garter device



Dec. 31, 1968 s. R. DEITCH 3,418,701

BUMPLESS GARTER DEVICE Filed Dec. 29, 1967 Sheet 1 of INVEXTOR. f a/l/zr 2070/ ATTORNEY 1366- 1968 s. R. DEITCH BUMPLESS GARTER DEVICE Sheet Filed Dec. 29, 1967 FIG. 8 30 24 25/2 FIG. /3

INVENTOR. Lfim/zr K fil/fw/ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,418,701 BUMPLESS GARTER DEVICE Sidney R. Deitch, New York, N.Y. (61-35 98th St., Rego Park, N.Y. 11374) Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 616,081, Feb. 14, 1967. This application Dec. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 694,593

Claims. (Cl. 24245) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A garter device is disclosed, of the type which may be used in conjunction with a garter belt, girdle or other undergarment, wherein all parts of the device are integrally molded together, and which causes no bump or minimum bump under outer clothing and which can be operated with one hand. The device comprises two main integrally formed plastic parts, namely a main body of molded material, such as plastic; and a flexible sliding tongue member integrally molded therewith. The upper portion of the tongue member is a thin flexible plastic strap, which is fixed at its upper extremity to the main rear portion of the device by being integrally molded therewith. Novel tapered upwardly narrowing flaps or ears are integrally molded into the main body of the device and form a surface which is spaced from the back of the main body. The lower end of the tongue member, also integrally molded with the device, is somewhat thicker than the upper strap portion of the tongue member. The lower end of the tongue member is engageable with the lateral ears of the main body portion. A wedge member, also integrally molded and protruding forwardly from the back wall member of the main body, is provided with a relatively fiat bottom surface which mates with an upper fiat surface at the upper rear of the thickened portion of the tongue member. These two mating surfaces engage between them a part of the hosiery at a first location thereof. The lower terminal end of the thickened tongue member forms a somewhat thinner downward projection which mates with an upwardly open J-shaped pocket formed at the lower end of the main body as a bottom continuation of the lateral ears. Part of the hosiery is engaged at a second location thereof between the downward projection of the tongue and the J -shaped pocket in the main body.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the tongue member is provided with indentations engageable with lateral stop members or obstructions which are integral with the main body and join the bottom of the lateral flaps to the back of the main body.

In operation, the top of the hosiery is pulled up the leg over the main body of the device with its integral flaps, the tongue member is placed over the hosiery, and the tongue member, being flexible at its strap portion, is slipped below the wedge member and between the side fiaps and the main body back; and, in the second embodiment the tongue member is slipped down between the lateral obstructions which engage indentations in the tongue and hold the latter in place. Since the retaining means for the tongue are lateral to a great extent and no thicker than the tongue, the overall garter device can be made much thinner than those of the prior art. Furthermore, since all parts can be integrally molded together, assembly labor is eliminated and the device is much cheaper than other devices of the prior art.

Cross-reference to related application This application is a con-tinuation-in-part of my earlierfiled application Ser. No. 616,081, filed Feb. 14, 1967, now abandoned, entitled: Bumpless Garter Device.

3,418,701 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 Brief summary of the invention This invention pertains to garters in general, and more specifically to the type of garter used in supporting hosiery, socks or stockings. The invention relates to a friction-type garter comprising a main body of semirigid material, and a slide apparatus or tongue member fixed at one end thereof, integrally molded therewith and engageable therewith at the other end of the tongue member. The main body comprises a thin, relatively flat back member strip in which is formed a conventional-type formation for attaching the upper end of the garter device to a supporting garment in a readily removable manner. The lateral flaps or ears, integrally formed with the flat back member along the sides of the main body continue downwardly to form a forwardly extending J-shaped pocket at the bottom end of the back member, the pocket matingly engaging the lower end of the tongue member. The flaps or ears are slightly spaced from the back of the main body over the major portion of their length so as to define a gap of a dimension capable of receiving the thickness of the lower and thickened portion of the tongue member.

Two different embodiments are disclosed, in both the lateral flap members are formed integrally with the main body and are adapted to engage the tongue member. In the first embodiment the tongue member has a rearwardly thickened portion having a flat upper surface which matingly engages the bottom flat surface of a wedge member integrally formed and protruding forwardly from the back member. The bottom of the thicknened tongue portion forms a somewhat thinner downward protrusion which matingly engages a J-shaped pocket which is a continuation of the lateral side flaps of the main body. In the second embodiment, the inner surface of each of the lateral flaps form stop members or obstructions adapted to engage lateral retaining means or indentations on the sides of the tongue member. The free end of the tongue member, in this second embodiment, protrudes laterally beyond the indentations so that the tongue member is prevented from sliding upwardly by the latter stop members; or by the wedge member in the first embodiment.

Operation of the device according to the invention is accomplished by placing a portion of the hosiery item to be engaged over the face of the main body with its integral fiaps and under the free end of the tongue member. The sliding apparatus is then placed over and against the hosiery fabric so that the free lower tongue end lies slightly above the tongue-receiving ears. The sliding member is then pushed, by pressure of a thumb, downwardly so it enters below the wedge member of the first embodiment and between the lateral grooves formed by the back of the main body and the flaps until the lower end of the sliding tongue passes into the J-shaped pocket; or in the second embodiment until the tongue member passes between the lateral obstructions which engage the indentations in the tongue member. A portion of the hosiery fabric is thereby captured at two or more locations between the stiff but somewhat flexible lower thickened portion of the tongue member and the main body of the device.

Disadvantages of the prior art Numerous types of hosiery supporters and garters are known, and a plethora of various such devices are available. The most common with which the female population is familiar generally comprises a front member or keeper, usually fabricated of metal wire, and defining a key hole configuration, and a rear member of stud. The stud usually comprises a rubber button. When used, the hosiery is disposed between the stud member and keeper member, the stud member and stocking then being inserted through the wide portion of the key-hole shaped keeper member. The stud member and hosiery is drawn into the narrow portion of the keeper, thus disposing the stud in an operative position with respect to the keeper, in which position the hosiery is gripped and held by means of the cooperating portions of these members. This type of device, as mentioned, is presently commercially available, is functional, simple, easy to operate, relatively economical to manufacture, and presents a habit pattern of operation; namely, a sequence of operating steps using such configuration has become familiar to that segment of the population which is most likely to avail itself of this type of device, namely the female population. As a result, manufacturers have found that other configurations are not readily saleable, and the configurations in most demand are those in which the method of operation is not too different from those in which the wearer can readily recognize \how it operates; and foundation garment manufacturers, as well, have come to seek out primarily hosiery supporting devices which have a method of operation not too different from those with a known or habit pattern.

Nevertheless, presently available hosiery supporters have a number of disadvantages. They present an unsightly bulge which is clearly visible through an outer garment, particularly now with style trends being directed to tighter-fitting apparel and more form-fitting garments. In an attempt to eliminate the bump formed by the latter devices of the prior art, attempts have been made to turn the rubber button against the leg rather than outwardly, but of course the hosiery supporter thus becomes uncomfortable to wear and is rendered difficult to operate and manipulate. Furthermore, the rubber button deteriorates with age and repeated laundering, so that the hosiery held by the garter device tends to slip. Furthermore, presently available hosiery supporters tend to press marks into the body tissue. Also, when fabricated of metal wire, the hosiery supporter may rust when subjected to repeated laundering, and the rust causes the apparel to become stained by the rust.

Hosiery supporters and garters worn by women are generally located not only at the front part of the thighs but also at the posterior. When the wearer is in a seated position, the posterior portion of the thighs where the garter is located will bear the full weight of the wearer, and when a bulge or pump inherent in the construction of these prior-art garters is located at the usual posterior position of the thighs, the weight of the body of the wearer in seated position presses the garter in the flaccid tissues at these locations, making them particularly painful to wear. Furthermore, in most of the devices of the prior art, the hosiery is clamped in such manner that the fibers or threads of the hosiery are stressed in a nonuniform and biased direction or shear, so that some of the threads tend to be stressed or rubbed in a greater proportion, causing the hosiery to run.

Probably the most significant of the disadvantages of the garters of the prior art is the bump or bulge. In

attempts to eliminate the bump of the prior art garters,

attempted solutions of the prior art may be classified generally in devices which use the familiar conventional habit pattern of operation; and hosiery supporters which require a new habit pattern operation requiring a new unfamiliar position of the fingers and hands in operating the garter device.

It has been found that when the attempted solution to eliminate the bump involves a new habit pattern of operation, they have been commercially unsuccessful. They require complete reorientation of the consumer as to positioning of the fingers and hands, learning new habits of inserting the stocking and stud member into the keeper and the like. Although the wearer can see how to operate the garters at the front portions of the thighs, she can only fasten the posterior garters by feel and by habit. Especially for women who are heavier at the thighs, it is impossible for them to see, even in a mirror, how to operate unfamiliar types of garters at the rear of their thighs, and the individual solution found by many women is to either change the location of one or more of the rear garters, or, when more than one rear garter is located on the garment, not to fasten those in the most inaccessible positions.

More recently, for example as disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,034,190, hosiery supporters having bodies made of synthetic plastic material have been disclosed wherein a body member and a separate slider member cooperate so that the slider is receivable within a recess of the body member. However, when the stocking is wedged into the recess with the slider, the friction created could very well cause runs to form in the stocking, because there is relatively insufiicient clamping in spaced locations to cause primarily tension rather than shear or transverse carrying and rubbing of the threads of the stocking. Furthermore, in these devices having separate slider and body portions, the labor of assembly makes this device relatively expensive to produce.

In other known stocking supporting devices made of plastic, where an attempt is made to make the body member thin, there is a limitation on the strength of the plastic material and its pliability, so that when the body member is made, for example, in a hollowed-out shape, there is a tendency for the body member to crack or break under strain of the pulling stocking or after wear and laundering of the device. Furthermore, because of the properties of the plastic materials used, in order to have enough strength while still having the minimum thickness so as to eliminate the bulge as much as possible, the body thickness in devices of this type in the prior art have been, for example, 2.8 mm. up to 3 mm. or more.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a useful, inexpensive integrally formed garter device which can have a total thickness of less than 3 mm.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hosiery supporting device which will have a body member and a tongue member engageable therewith wherein the hosiery is clamped in a plurality of spaced locations.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a hosiery supporting device wherein the thickness of the slider member may be limited to approximately 1 mm. and the top face of the slider is substantially flush with the corresponding surface of the body member when the slider is in position of use, so that the total thickness of the garter, including the hosiery clamped therein may well be under 3 mm. This result is very desirable and advantageous especially when the latter device is worn under close fitting dresses.

Brief description of drawings The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of my invention will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with two disclosed embodiments of a device according to the invention, illustrated 'by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the device, shown with the tongue member partially cut away;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, with the hosiery shown in phantom lines in position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section through the device of FIG. 1 shown with the tongue member removed from its body member engaging position;

FIG. 5 is a front view, partially cut away, of the assembled device of FIG. 1 with the tongue member in place, but partially cut away to Show its construction;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 shown with the stocking in place and the tongue member in engaged position holding and supporting the stocking;

FIG. 7 is a front view of another embodiment of the device, shown for clarity with the tongue portion removed;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-section taken along line 99 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-section taken along line 1010 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a front view, partially cut away, of the assembled device of FIG. 7, with the tongue member in place;

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-section generally along the lines 1212 of FIG. 11, showing the manner of engagement of the two parts of the device, the tongue member being shown in phantom lines in its position during the insertion step; and

FIG. 13 is a vertical section of the device in assembled condition with a stocking in place.

Detailed description of embodiments In the drawings of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, the main body of the device, designated by the numeral 110, comprises a relatively thin, flat strip of molded plastic material having properties which permit it to be molded in thin sections and durable in a hinged construction when the hinge is molded in one piece. Plastic materials having such properties include molded nylon or material known as Delrin, molded plastic, made by Du Pont. The body 110 has a relatively flat back member 112 and a pair of upwardly narrowing tapered ears or flap members 114, 116 integrally molded with and joined to the back member 112 along the respective edges 118 and 120 thereof.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upwardly narrowing flaps 114, 116 although joined along the lateral sides 118, 120 to the back member 112 of the main body 110, the flaps or wings 114, 116 define inner planar surfaces 122, 124 which are parallel to but spaced from the back surface 112 of the main body 110, thus defining gaps 126, 128 between the hack member 112 and the respective lateral flaps 114, 116.

Integrally formed with the main body 110 at 138 and hinged thereto at 136 is the upper relatively thin strap portion 146 of the tongue member or sliding apparatus indicated generally by the numeral 140. The molded plastic material above mentioned is such that the hinged joint 136 can withstand many bendings of the tongue member 140 away from and toward the main body 112 without undue strain or cracking or fatigue of the hinged joint 136. The forward lateral corners 118 and 120 of the device are formed and flattened in such manner that as smooth a curve as possible takes place to minimize the possibility of snags and to further reduce the overall thickness of the device from the back 111 to the forward surface 142.

The main body 110 is provided at its upper end with a hook member 134, integrally molded therewith and shaped in a somewhat conventional form which permits the entire device to be attached to a supporting garment in a readily removable manner. Since the strap portion 146 of the tongue member 140 is integrally molded with the back member 112 and fixed by means of hinged joint 136 to the back member at 138, there is no need for conventional holes or openings for attaching the slide member 140 to the back member, and the labor of assembly of separate parts thus becomes unnecessary, with a resulting saving in cost.

The tongue member or sliding apparatus, indicated generally by the numeral 140, comprises, as mentioned, the relatively thin and extremely flexible upper portion 146 of the tongue member 140 having a lower thickened portion 142, capable of sliding down into gaps 126, 128 located between the back member 12 and the surfaces 122, 124 of the flaps or ears 114, 116. Integrally formed and forwardly protruding from the surface 112 of the back member 111 is a wedge member 155 having a relatively fiat bottom surface 157 and positioned so that the surface 157 is located slightly above the upper end of the upwardly narrowing side flaps 114, 116. As best seen in FIG. 6, the rearwardly thickened portion 142 of the tongue member 140 defines an upper fiat surface 144 of such configuration that it mates with the surface 157 of the wedge member 155, so that these surfaces 144, 157 can engage between them a part of the hosiery 160 and thus form a first transverse clamping location wherein the part of the hosiery so clamped is fixed, with a minimum of sliding friction, in a direction transverse to the downward pull on the stocking when the device is in use.

A second or further clamping location may be seen in FIG. 6 at 158, which is the numeral designating the downward projection extending from the thickened tongue portion 142 of the sliding tongue apparatus 140. The projection 158 is matingly engageable with a J-shaped pocket 113, the pocket being integrally formed at the lower end of the main body member 110. As best seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the pocket forming means 113 is J- shaped in cross-section as viewed in FIG. 6 and is U- shaped or horseshoe-shaped as viewed from the front in FIGS. 1 and 5. The front surface of the tongue member 140 and its portion 142 does not extend forwardly (toward the left as viewed in FIG. 6) beyond the forwardmost part of the pocket-forming flange at 113 of the main body 110, although the upper strap surface 146, only for clarity of explanation, is shown in FIG. 6 forwardly spaced from the back member 111. Thus, the overall thickness of the device from the back 111 to the front of the device, including the thickness of the clamped stocking 160 may be maintained at less than 3 mm. which is very advantageous and desirable. The lowermost extremity or downward projection 158 of the tongue member portion 142 is preferably curved, as viewed from the front, in a semicircle and conforms to the U-shaped or horseshoe-shaped pocket flange 113, so as to be matin-gly received into the pocket with allowance made for the thickness of the fabric of the hosiery 160.

Operation of the device of FIGS. 1-6 is as follows: in normal use, the rear surface 111 of the main body rests against the thigh or leg of the wearer. In front of the wearer, the garter device can be seen and visually operated by the wearer, but when the garter is at the posterior position, operation must be by feel and preferably simple enough so that the engagement of the tongue member into the device can be with one hand. The portion of the hosiery item 160 is placed over the main body 110 and covering the side wings 114, 116 and resting under the tongue member portion 142 and extending up over the wedge member 155, as best shown in FIG. 6. The tongue member has been removed and the strap member 146 is in the position 14611 of FIG. 4. The lower or thickened portion 142 of the tongue member is lifted in realtion to the back member, still suspended therefrom by strap member 146 at hinge point 136, until the lateral sides of the tongue 150, 152 (FIG. 5) can slip down below the surface 157 of the wedge 155 and into the Ushaped pocket formed by the ears 114, 116 and down into the pocket 113. The hosiery thus becomes clamped transversely at two locations, the first being, as mentioned, between the flat surfaces 144, 157; and the second being in the pocket 113 retained thereby by downward projection 158, which, of course also engages the side wings 114, 116 at its side portions 150, 152. As may be seen in FIG. 2, the hosiery fabric also surrounds the lateral sides 150, 152 of the thickened tongue member portion 142 where it engages the U-shaped pocket 114, 113, 116.

Release of the hosiery 160 from the device of the invention is achieved simply by pulling forwardly and upwardly on the strap 146 to disengage the surface 144 from the bottom of the wedge 155, and this operation can be readily performed even by feel. The tongue member 140 readily bends along its strap member portion 146 until thickened tongue portion 142 is released from the pocket 114, 113, 116 and the hosiery item 160 can then be removed downwardly.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 713 the upper portion of the device, including the hook member 34 and, the hinged joint 36 where the integrally formed strap member 46 is integrally joined at 38 to the back member 12, is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. l-6 above described. However, as retaining means to help fix the free lower end of the strap member in relation to the main body 10, lateral stop members or obstructions 30, 32 are provided, and these are integrally molded together with the main body of this embodiment and extend across the respective gaps 26, 28 from the back 12 to the respective surfaces 22, 24. As may be seen from FIGS. 8 and 9, the

flexible to allow it to be bent and thus forced between the obstructions 30, 32 of the wing 14, 16. The upper end 44 of the stiff flexible portion 42 is fixed by being integrally molded with the strap portion 46, which in turn is integrally molded with the main body 10 and hinged therefrom at 36. The flexible strap portion 46 of the tongue is much more flexible than the thickened portion 42 for ease of manipulation, to lift the member into the position 46a of FIG. 12, preliminary to sliding it into the gaps 26, 28 (see FIG. 8).

The contour of the tongue portion 42 of this embodirnent is such that from the point 44 downwardly, it widens so that the lateral sides thereof 50, 52 fit into the respective gaps 26, 28. A pair of lateral indentations 54, 56 adapted to engage the lateral obstructions 30, 32 are formed in the tongue portion 42. The lower end 58 of the tongue member 42 widens out to form lateral detents below the indentations 54, 56 and against the stop members 30, 32. The lowermost extremity of the free end 58 of the tongue member 42 is curved in a semicircle or U-shape and conforms to the shape of the lowermost end of the back 12 of the main body 10 of this embodiment.

Operation of this embodiment will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. The rear surface 11 of the main body 10 will rest against the thigh or leg of the wearer. A portion of the hosiery item 60 is placed over the main body 10 and covering the wings 14, 16, and resting against the inner surface 12 of the main body 10. The tongue member 10 has been removed from the wings 14, 16, and its flexible strap 46 is bent into the position 46a, as shown in FIG. 12, until the end 58 of the tongue member is located above the uppermost tips of the wedge-shaped wings 1416, so that the lower end 58 of the tongue member can slip down into the grooves 26, 28 and over the hosiery fabric 60. The stiffiy flexible lower end 58 of the tongue member is forced, such as by thumb pressure downwardly, through the space between the obstructions 30, 32 until the latter engage into the indentations 54, 56 of the tongue member. A portion of the hosiery fabric is thereby captured and fixed in a plurality of locations wherein the hosiery is fixed against surfaces which are transverse to the direction of normal downward pull when the device is being used in support stockings.

Release of the hosiery from the device of this embodiment is achieved simply by pulling forwardly and upwardly on the tab 58 of the tongue member 42 with one hand. The flexible tongue member 42 bends along the 8 portion between the two wings 14, 16 until it is released therefrom, and the hosiery item 60 can then be removed downwardly.

I claim:

1. Fastener device adapted to fixedly and removably associate a plurality of wearing apparel articles with respect to one another comprising, in combination:

(a) a body member of generally elongated configuration, said body member including (b) a back body-member portion defining a substantially continuous surface,

(c) a front body-member portion having retaining means including at least one project extending forwardly and integrally molded with said body member, said forwardly extending projections having surfaces arranged to engage a wearing apparel article and clampingly fix same along a respective surface thereof extending in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said elongated body member,

(d) and sliding apparatus comprising a tongue member integrally formed simultaneously with said body member so as to be joined therewith at one end thereof,

(c) said tongue member defining a lower portion thereof matingly engageable with a plurality of said body member projections so as to clampingly fix said wearing apparel article at a plurality of said respective surfaces thereof.

2. Fastener device according to claim 1, said tongue member being provided with a flexible upper strap portion forming said one end of said tongue member, said latter one end forming a joint with said body member so as to be hingedly movable relative to same.

3. Fastener device according to claim 2, said forwardly etxending projections including a wedge member 'having a substantially flat downwardly oriented thickened lower surface etxending transversely across said body member, said lower tongue member portion defining a substantially flat upwardly oriented surface matingly engageable with said lower surface of said wedge member, said upwardly oriented and downwardly oriented surfaces together forming one of said retaining means to clampingly fix a portion of the wearing apparel article therebetween, and lateral guide means for guiding said upwardly oriented and downwardly oriented surfaces into mating position.

4. Fastener device according to claim 3, said retaining means further including a pocket having a J-shaped cross section for snugly receiving therein said lower tongue portion.

5. Fastener device according to claim 1, said substantially continuous back portion af said body member defining a substantially flat surface adapted to rest against the leg of the wearer.

6. Fastener device according to claim 1, said forwardly extending projections including a pair of lateral ears (114, 14, 116, 16) integrally molded with said body member and laterally joined therewith, opposed portions of said ears being spaced forwardly from said body member and having means defining gaps between said ears and said front body-member portion for receiving in said gaps said lower portion of said tongue member, said body member forming at its lower end a U-shaped trough with a J- shaped cross-section, and U-shaped trough having sides joined to and forming a continuation of said pair of ears and said gaps thereof, said J-shaped section (158) having a lip (113) forming one of said forwardly extending projections of said body member.

7. Fastener device according to claim 6, said lower tongue member portion being relatively thicker rearwardly than said strap poition as it extends downwardly from said upwardly oriented surface, said strap portion and said lower portion of the tongue member together defining a substantially fiat front surface substantially flush with the forward lip of said J-shaped section.

8. Fastener device according to claim 7, said lower tongue portion defining a downward projection matingly engageable with said trough for clampingly fixing therebetween a portion of said wearing apparel.

9. Fastener device according to claim 7, said tongue member (140, 40) defining a substantially continuous fiat forward surface extending downwardly from said one end (136) thereof to said lip (113) and lying substantially parallel to said continuous surface (111) of said back body member portion.

10. Fastener device according to claim 1, said retaining means including a pair of lateral wing members integrally molded with said body member, lateral obstruction means (30, 32) extending between said back member and said wing members (14, 16), and means forming lateral indentations (54, 56) in said tongue member and engageable with said obstruction means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 446,079 2/ 1891 Scantlebury 24245 507,646 10/ 1893 Buck. 1,600,540 9/1926 Erne 24263 10 2,258,605 10/ 1941 Garth 24245 3,034,190 5/ 1962 Magnin, et al. 24247 FOREIGN PATENTS 647,044 10/ 1962 Italy.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner. 

